It’s more than half way through January and we’re already running on fumes! How about you? To get us through the day we decided to try out homemade bars. They’re scrumptious and a perfect boost of energy as we zip around the office. And, since they’re homemade, we know they’re super healthy and in line with our 2014 bikini body plan. Here’s a simple recipe that takes less than 30 minutes (including prep and cleanup). Enjoy!

Ingredients

– 1 cup rolled oats

– 1 banana (the riper, the better)

– 3 tbsp peanut butter

– 2 tbsp ground flax seed

– 1 tbsp brown sugar

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a small pan. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl…go ahead, just throw them all in. With a fork, mash and mix until all the oats are coated with this banana, peanut butter goo. Spread the mixture on your pan. You can make the bars as thick as you want (we usually go about a ¼ inch thick). Depending on the thickness, the mixture may not spread to the ends of the pan. That’s okay! Just wipe off any exposed grease on the pan. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. This will make about 9-12 bars.

Fun Options

Now, some people say baking needs to be an exact science. We don’t necessarily believe that. If you want to experiment here are a couple ideas to help your creative side make the perfect bar for you.

– Switch out the peanut butter for almond or cashew butter.

– Add a small handful of actual nuts for added crunch. Depending on the size, you may want to chop them up a bit.

– Switch out the brown sugar for agave or honey.

– Add your favorite dried fruits. Try blueberries or goji berries for an antioxidant punch or cherries and prunes for an extra dose of fiber.

– Add more seeds! Boost the nutrition factor by adding an extra spoonful of hemp, chia or pumpkin seeds.